Bill D:

Those were "private line" numbers, although at the time you could choose a "party line service." This was, as I recall, not the traditional party line. Lots of nearby rural areas had the normal ones, including the crank phones hanging on the wall (high enough so that the kids had to pull up a chair to stand on to answer one). The last crank phone I knew of came off the wall in about 1956(?).

In Wichita, in the 1940s to early 1950s, for really cheap, you could get what they called a "party line service." You got your own number, and only your phone rang when someone called your number; but others on your party-line could hear the conversation if they "happened to pick up the phone." You couldn't make a call if the line was in use, but instead of a busy signal you heard a conversation. They could also hear you if you joined in - as to ask for the line for an emergency.

Fairly early in that era an "improvement" gave you a busy signal if the "party line" was in use, and you didn't hear the other people's conversation; but you could only call out when no one else on the party line was using it. There was a "code number" you could dial to notify the ones on the line that you had an emergency and really needed the line, but it never seemed to work.

Throughout the entire era, you could pay a little extra and get a "private line." Of course those who still used the party lines would gossip about what a snob you were for doing so, and those with private lines would "justify their need" with all sorts of rationalizations, but I never heard of recourse to weapons in such debates.

A "private number" (unlisted) was another matter entirely, and I recall a local small town businessman expressing his thanks when the preacher devoted an entire sermon to explaining that everybody knew the businessman's number and the line was always busy. His new "private number" was to assure that his daughter would be able to get through if she had to call home from school in an emergency. Most of the congregation still thought it was "a bit sinful," but apparently got over it, although he did note a few who quit doing business with him - at least for a while.

Services of the later party line configuration were still in use in a few places at least as late as the 1980s, and may still be for all I know in some of the rural 'phone co-op systems. I don't believe service of that kind is available in any of the "big cities" now.

John